It’s no secret that bringing a child into the world can be incredibly tough. But many people don’t realize just how much women have to endure along the way. There’s far more to it than morning sickness, hormonal changes, and painful contractions. Far, far more.
#21
I had a pretty terrible labor. I was 16, the doctor who delivered me for my Mom ended up being the same doctor to deliver my son for me.
The epidural didn't work but my legs were numb and heavy and they made me hold my own legs and I couldn't focus on pushing. I pushed for 2 hours without success. My Midwife didn't know my son was faced the wrong way which put us both in danger. I had to get TWO episiotomies and felt it because the epidural didn't work and my mom screamed at them that I could feel it so they only number me after the fact.
They used suction and forceps to get my son out because I was going into shock after 3 days in labor. My son's cord was wrapped around his neck, they took him out the wrong way out, when they broke my water there was meconium in my water so it was in his lungs. When he was born the doctor said 'sunnyside up!' and then just plopped him onto my stomach. And he wasn't crying. I remember laying there saying in my head please cry over and over again.
He finally cried and I got to look at him for 2 seconds and kiss him before they took him for X-ray and suction for his lungs. He was kept on an IV and incubator for 3 days. I only saw him to feed him. Poor guy was born with a cone head.
The nurses laughed at me when I screamed and cried in pain.
After I gave birth his biological father tried to compete with me over who has been through the most pain which he tried to say him breaking his collarbone (which never happened, he's a compulsive liar) was more painful than what I just went through. I said mmm no, giving birth to a human without any numbing is pretty much more painful than anything you'll experience shut up.
He's not been in my kids life for 15 years, he's a deadbeat and doesn't pay court ordered child support. The government doesn't care.
I was sewn together down there with internal and external stitches and basically was like a bad basket weave pattern. It was bruised badly and it was agony to walk. Had to have my parents help me in and out of the tub. Couldn't wipe with tissue for a month and had to use a squeeze bottle of water. Stairs were horrible, the healing itchy stage was horrible, bowel movements were horrible. Lack of sleep, being in pain and having a kid that you g was hard but I wouldn't change anything.
Moral of the story is be careful who you have kids with. I'm done having kids
TLDR: Epidurals can not work, you might have to be sewn together down there, you can have your kids first poo inside your waters before they're born, don't rely solely on midwives, don't have babies with jerks.
The epidural didn't work but my legs were numb and heavy and they made me hold my own legs and I couldn't focus on pushing. I pushed for 2 hours without success. My Midwife didn't know my son was faced the wrong way which put us both in danger. I had to get TWO episiotomies and felt it because the epidural didn't work and my mom screamed at them that I could feel it so they only number me after the fact.
They used suction and forceps to get my son out because I was going into shock after 3 days in labor. My son's cord was wrapped around his neck, they took him out the wrong way out, when they broke my water there was meconium in my water so it was in his lungs. When he was born the doctor said 'sunnyside up!' and then just plopped him onto my stomach. And he wasn't crying. I remember laying there saying in my head please cry over and over again.
He finally cried and I got to look at him for 2 seconds and kiss him before they took him for X-ray and suction for his lungs. He was kept on an IV and incubator for 3 days. I only saw him to feed him. Poor guy was born with a cone head.
The nurses laughed at me when I screamed and cried in pain.
After I gave birth his biological father tried to compete with me over who has been through the most pain which he tried to say him breaking his collarbone (which never happened, he's a compulsive liar) was more painful than what I just went through. I said mmm no, giving birth to a human without any numbing is pretty much more painful than anything you'll experience shut up.
He's not been in my kids life for 15 years, he's a deadbeat and doesn't pay court ordered child support. The government doesn't care.
I was sewn together down there with internal and external stitches and basically was like a bad basket weave pattern. It was bruised badly and it was agony to walk. Had to have my parents help me in and out of the tub. Couldn't wipe with tissue for a month and had to use a squeeze bottle of water. Stairs were horrible, the healing itchy stage was horrible, bowel movements were horrible. Lack of sleep, being in pain and having a kid that you g was hard but I wouldn't change anything.
Moral of the story is be careful who you have kids with. I'm done having kids
TLDR: Epidurals can not work, you might have to be sewn together down there, you can have your kids first poo inside your waters before they're born, don't rely solely on midwives, don't have babies with jerks.
9points
#23
I had not one but two full reconstruction. One right after my son was born and a second three days later. The damage was so extensive the first reconstruction failed.
From what I've been told less than 1% of births results in as much damage as I had.
The best part is that they refused to give me anything stronger than Tylenol.
From what I've been told less than 1% of births results in as much damage as I had.
The best part is that they refused to give me anything stronger than Tylenol.
8points
#24
Pregnancy: cracked rib. Insomnia. Extreme bad taste in mouth. Narcolepsy-esque sleepiness.
Birth: second degree tear. Manual uterine clean-out (dr wore me like a puppet).
Postpartum: hypertension. Feet a size bigger.
Birth: second degree tear. Manual uterine clean-out (dr wore me like a puppet).
Postpartum: hypertension. Feet a size bigger.
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8points
#25
Both of my children got stuck in my pelvis and I had an uncontrollable urge push that never stopped. It went on that way for hours in both cases. First was born via forceps with only a partially working epidural, the second was emergency C-section that I could also feel and which required a vacuum. Childbirth is no joke. I am grateful every day for modern medicine and also that I will never need to deliver a child again.
8points
#26
PUPPP (Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy)
Most seen in 1st pregnancies and in the 3rd trimester. I had the rash all over my torso, arms, and legs. The itching was so intense I had to sleep with cotton gloves on to stop from tearing open my skin when asleep (when I could actually fall asleep). Cold baths, oatmeal baths, topical creams, antihistamine... nothing worked except delivering. It went away within a week of delivering, and I still have scars on my arms from it (the baby is now a senior in high school).
Most seen in 1st pregnancies and in the 3rd trimester. I had the rash all over my torso, arms, and legs. The itching was so intense I had to sleep with cotton gloves on to stop from tearing open my skin when asleep (when I could actually fall asleep). Cold baths, oatmeal baths, topical creams, antihistamine... nothing worked except delivering. It went away within a week of delivering, and I still have scars on my arms from it (the baby is now a senior in high school).
8points
#27
SPD: symphysis pubis dysfunction.
Aka your pubic bone and pelvis are shearing apart thanks to relaxin (hormone that loosens stuff). Had it with all three babies, starting earlier and becoming more severe each time. By the time I was 24 weeks with my third baby, I needed crutches to get around. It still aches when I get my period, and if I do lunges. The epidural wasn’t for the contractions, it was for my broken pelvis.
Aka your pubic bone and pelvis are shearing apart thanks to relaxin (hormone that loosens stuff). Had it with all three babies, starting earlier and becoming more severe each time. By the time I was 24 weeks with my third baby, I needed crutches to get around. It still aches when I get my period, and if I do lunges. The epidural wasn’t for the contractions, it was for my broken pelvis.
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8points
#28
During pregnancy would be hemorrhoids, sudden mood swings, peeing myself and not being able to eat what I wanted. The most serious was post partum depression. Wanting to end it all just to get some sleep was horrifying. Honorable mention would be not being able to breast feed.
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8points
#29
An hour or so into pushing (before they finally gave me an epidural that didn’t work), they realized my baby was turned the wrong way and kinda stuck at my hips. Not upside down, just rotated wrong. So they reached their hand inside my body and rotated my baby the right way. I will never forgot that horrible feeling of having someone’s hand in my body like that.
Also, I got an episiotomy. And after, it didn’t heal right, and I got granulation tissue that didn’t heal for a full year. Eventually I had to get a surgery to cut the “scar/wound” out and resew it all.
When people say “but omg you’re such a good mom, have another”, I always want to tell them to go to hell.
Also, I got an episiotomy. And after, it didn’t heal right, and I got granulation tissue that didn’t heal for a full year. Eventually I had to get a surgery to cut the “scar/wound” out and resew it all.
When people say “but omg you’re such a good mom, have another”, I always want to tell them to go to hell.
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8points
#30
Hyperemesis.
I would rather go through pitocin induced labor with no epidural than deal with hyperemesis again.
And almost even worse was the way people waved it away as normal morning sickness.
“Oh, I was really sick too. But some ginger helped. Have you tried ginger?”
“Yeah, my sister was sick but some Pedialyte and crackers got her through.”
No. If you have hyperemesis none of that helps in the least. You need IV hydration and medication just to keep the slightest bit of food down.
If you’re lucky you won’t need extended hospitalization and a feeding tube.
I have never been so sick in my life. If I didn’t know I was pregnant I would have thought I was just dying.
For 14 weeks every second was just severe nausea and gagging.
Thankfully from 15-27 weeks or so the nausea became just moderate and then the ginger and crackers helped.
From 28 weeks to labor I had mild nausea.
I would rather go through pitocin induced labor with no epidural than deal with hyperemesis again.
And almost even worse was the way people waved it away as normal morning sickness.
“Oh, I was really sick too. But some ginger helped. Have you tried ginger?”
“Yeah, my sister was sick but some Pedialyte and crackers got her through.”
No. If you have hyperemesis none of that helps in the least. You need IV hydration and medication just to keep the slightest bit of food down.
If you’re lucky you won’t need extended hospitalization and a feeding tube.
I have never been so sick in my life. If I didn’t know I was pregnant I would have thought I was just dying.
For 14 weeks every second was just severe nausea and gagging.
Thankfully from 15-27 weeks or so the nausea became just moderate and then the ginger and crackers helped.
From 28 weeks to labor I had mild nausea.
7points
#31
The extreme exhaustion is unreal. I would have dreams about being asleep in my dreams.
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7points
#32
Post partum psychosis .
It kicked in mental health issues for about 5 years after my second . I am now finally feeling human . It was terrifying because I had no idea what was happening. Very thankful I have a wonderful family who stepped in and helped me out . It wasn’t until years later I realized what it was. Doctors kept telling me it was normal. It was my own personal hell.
The giving birth was easy compared .
It kicked in mental health issues for about 5 years after my second . I am now finally feeling human . It was terrifying because I had no idea what was happening. Very thankful I have a wonderful family who stepped in and helped me out . It wasn’t until years later I realized what it was. Doctors kept telling me it was normal. It was my own personal hell.
The giving birth was easy compared .
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7points
#33
Manual removal of the placenta. There was a medical resident with her hand in my uterus.
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7points
#34
I hemorrhaged during birth and needed two blood transfusions. They kept me prepped for surgery in case it didn’t stop and needed a hysterectomy. This was after I had the balloon in place too.
During, I had choleostasis, which was just incredibly stressful as I was so scared of losing my baby. The hip pain was unbearable. I could not walk. This continued for months after. I feel like it will never be the same. I also had arthritis in my hands. Went away right after birth.
Honestly don’t know if I can do again. .
During, I had choleostasis, which was just incredibly stressful as I was so scared of losing my baby. The hip pain was unbearable. I could not walk. This continued for months after. I feel like it will never be the same. I also had arthritis in my hands. Went away right after birth.
Honestly don’t know if I can do again. .
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7points
#35
Developed an Umbilical Vein Varix, super rare, that led to an induction at 37 weeks. After 22 hours on pitocin, turns out baby was sunny side up and had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck three times. I was finally able to get him out, but every mm HURT even with an epidural.
He didn't cry at first, and suddenly the room was filled with 20 people resuscitation him. He was cooled down to prevent brain damage for days in the NICU while they assessed the situation. We couldn't hold him until they warmed him up, and once they did they were able to get him in an MRI. He had a stroke, possibly from the UVV.
He is 3 now, and a happy, healthy, clever boy who I am so thankful to be mother of. Everything turned out fine, but definitely have PTSD from it all. Expecting my second any day now.
He didn't cry at first, and suddenly the room was filled with 20 people resuscitation him. He was cooled down to prevent brain damage for days in the NICU while they assessed the situation. We couldn't hold him until they warmed him up, and once they did they were able to get him in an MRI. He had a stroke, possibly from the UVV.
He is 3 now, and a happy, healthy, clever boy who I am so thankful to be mother of. Everything turned out fine, but definitely have PTSD from it all. Expecting my second any day now.
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7points
#36
I’m a petite woman and my baby basically tore all my abdominal muscles during my pregnancy, diastasis rectii, my core is destroyed and finally after 11 years I’m working on slowly rebuilding it. There are so many other things but this is probably the most painful, and oh btw all my internal organs have been moved around since I had a c section so I almost always have stomach and digestion issues now.
6points
#37
My first pregnancy I was terribly sick the whole time. HG and nothing would touch it. Got induced at 37 weeks due to preeclampsia. Gained a TON of weight. 4th degree tear 😭
My second ended in miscarriage
My third, I’m currently pregnant with, I’ve been hospitalized 3 times, severe HG, SCH, 7cm cyst, developed MCAS, and haven’t been able to keep weight on. I’m being induced tomorrow and I’ve gained 2lbs 🥴.
My second ended in miscarriage
My third, I’m currently pregnant with, I’ve been hospitalized 3 times, severe HG, SCH, 7cm cyst, developed MCAS, and haven’t been able to keep weight on. I’m being induced tomorrow and I’ve gained 2lbs 🥴.
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6points
#38
My first pregnancy, the dr did an episiotomy without explaining what it was. This was right before all the studies came out saying women healed so much better with a natural tear.
It was horrific. I could barely sit and would just cry while learning how to breastfeeding. It took a good 12 weeks to heal. Finally aloe gel helped me over the hump. My subsequent recoveries from childbirth were night and day better.
It was horrific. I could barely sit and would just cry while learning how to breastfeeding. It took a good 12 weeks to heal. Finally aloe gel helped me over the hump. My subsequent recoveries from childbirth were night and day better.
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6points
#39
I got cholestasis at 35 weeks which is basically your liver poisoning you and the baby. The main symptom is intense, miserable non stop itching. I was up all night every night scratching for two straight weeks before they could induce safely. When I went to for inducement they found I had Covid so I had to give birth in a mask. I always wondered if the Covid was related to the cholestasis.
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6points
#40
No one warned me of the horrendous pain that comes after your milk comes in and your breasts get engorged.
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6points